WIRE: New Arizona Prop. 205 ad aims to mobilize voters

PHOENIX — The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol launched a new ad Friday aimed at turning out voters on Election Day by painting a dim picture of the morning after if Prop. 205 supporters fail to vote.

The ad is below:

The digital ad, titled “Rude Awakening,” depicts a marijuana legalization supporter waking up on the morning after Election Day and turning on the television. A newscaster announces, “In other news, Prop. 205 was narrowly defeated last night as turnout among supporters fell just short, so marijuana remains a felony in Arizona.” A scrolling news ticker reads, “Drug cartels celebrate defeat of Prop. 205.”

The text, “Don’t forget and regret,” appears as a voiceover says, “Don’t wake up after the election regretting that you didn’t vote. Get out and vote to make marijuana legal on Tuesday.” The ad then encourages viewers to make a plan to vote, informs them of poll hours, and reminds them to bring a photo ID so they can vote “yes” on Prop. 205.

“Whether it’s school or work, or watching a younger family member, people can get busy quickly, so it’s important that they make a plan to vote,” said CRMLA Chairman J.P. Holyoak. “Arizona voters have the opportunity to make history on Tuesday. Missing out on that is something legalization supporters might regret for a long time, especially if Prop. 205 loses by a narrow margin.

“Arizona’s medical marijuana law only won by about 4,000 votes, and this initiative could be decided by even fewer,” Holyoak said. “Just a couple thousand votes could decide whether marijuana possession becomes legal for adults or remains a felony that can land them in jail.”

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The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is supporting Proposition 205, an initiative on the November 2016 ballot that would end marijuana prohibition in Arizona and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed like alcohol. For more information, visit http://www.RegulateMarijuana.org.